Art!  Just the mere thought of my career revolving around something I am so passionate about fills me with joy.  Throughout my life, I have flitted from one creative endeavor to another, never possessing enough courage to develop past the introductory stages of each varying interest.  However, this irregular behavior was put to a stop in August of 2002, when it was discovered that I had two meningioma brain tumors. I was immediately scheduled for surgery of the pear-sized growths. While I recovered, I had a lot of time to reflect on the life which I had established with my husband and my three fabulously patient children.  I spent quite a bit of this recuperation reading the Bible.  One morning, as I read the parable about the landlord and his three hired hands (mom, you should probably give the verse in parentheses here), I couldn't help but relate to this story.  In this tale, the landlord (God) must go on a journey; while he is gone he entrusts everything he owns to them.  The first man, whom possesses the most ability, is given ten talents.  (Talents are money but I thought of it as our God-given gifts.)  The second man is given five talents and the last man is given one talent.  When the landlord returns from his trip, he goes to his three men to find out if they used their talents wisely.  The landlord discovers that the first two men have doubled the amount given to them, but the last man had done nothing with his talent. He had actually buried his in the ground to keep it safe!  The landlord was furious that this man would waste such a gift and so he took what the talent from the third man and split it among the other two.  It was after reading this lesson, that I realized that this third man who was, in fact, me! The realization that I was burying the talents that God had so blessed me with immediately humbled me.   My fear was dissolved and I started painting with fervor!   As I quickly began to take over the whole house with my art and supplies (the dining room table was barely visible), my husband decided it was time progress to the next level.  He bought a space for me, transformed it, and now I paint full time at my studio, 3 Rivers Studio and Gallery.  I know this is what I was created to do and I am deeply honored that I am able to share my passion, and the passion of fellow artists, with you.